a bleeding purple utah jazz blog

Overdue Odds and Ends

1. The Jazz will be unveiling the new uniforms tomorrow at a free event outside the arena. Al Jefferson, CJ and Millsap will be modeling the new Jazz gear for fans.

If this were two months ago, I would’ve loved to see the Koof and Fes doing the modeling. If fans had been able to vote, I think I would’ve voted for Fes first, and Memo second (Memo has “European male model” written all over him, don’t you think?).

KALL: What did you think of “The Decision”?
Ronnie P: Oh man…I am so sick of hearing about that stuff man. It’s been driving me so crazy.

Ronnie (who grew up a Rockets fan), also talked about “The Shot”:“I didn’t really like the Jazz as a kid. I was always a big Rockets fan coming out of Texas, and when John Stockton hit that shot to knock the Rockets out of the Playoffs, that was a rough year for me as a kid.” (KALL mp3)

3. One of the world’s most foremost authorities on toughness speaks about…toughness:

“Toughness…you just know when someone has it,” [Matt Harpring] said. “I don’t think a player does anything, it’s just over the game, when you’re a fan and you’re sitting there watching, you’re like, ‘Wow, that guy’s a tough guy.’ You know it when you see it. But when it’s not there, it’s a glaring hole.” (sltrib)

EXACTLY.

He also likes the pick up of [his former teammate] Raja Bell:

“You need a guy in the locker room to maintain balance,” Harpring said. “Jerry has seen it all, been through it all, and as a coach obviously he kind of stays straight and narrow, doesn’t get too high, too low. You need a guy like that in the locker room, too.”
…
Added Harpring: “That’s where Raja is really going to help out, is the toughness he’s going to bring and also the leadership he brings.” (desnews)

4. Much ado was made a year or two ago about how Deron was here to stay because he had sold his house in Texas and made Utah his year-round home. While being interviewed on KFAN (mp3) a few days ago, Deron said that he no longer lives in Utah during the summer. Cue panic among that contingency of panic-prone fans. ;)

5. Per sltrib: When country singer Neil McCoy was casting the video for his single “Last of a Dying Breed,” he thought of his good friend Karl Malone. McCoy thought that the lyrics of the song fit Karl’s story, and Karl accepted his invitation to be in the video (McCoy was among Karl’s friends and family that attended the Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony).

Some of the lyrics in “Last of a Dying Breed”:

He was also a friend to everybody he ever met / Ray taught me the value of faith and family / The American flag, hard work, honesty and a good dog / I hope my daddy Ray wasn’t the last of a dyin’ breed

Last of a dying breed who tend the fields and mend the fences / Heaven knows, I’d hate to think that generation might be ending / But if he goes, he will go down in history / As the last, the last of a dying breed